Colored molasses and method of producing same.



ERNEST E. WERNER, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

COLORED MOLASSES AND METHOD OF PRODUCING-SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. WERNER, a citizen of the'United States, residing in Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Colored Molasses and Methods of Producing Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to colored molasses and the method ofproducing same, and has for its object the production of a molasses having a color rendering it suitable for mixing withvarious grasses and cereals in the production of concentrated stock foods.

The main purpose ofthe invention is to enable molasses to be mixed with materials of the general character named, and atthe same time insure that the combined product shall have the general color of the material to which the molasses is added. In the manufacture of cane and beet suga the residual product, molasses, sometimes called black strap, and various other trade names, is widelyused as an additlon to cattle and hog food, and, after treating and processing, for human food. The crude article, particularly in the case of cane molasses, as placed upon the market varies in appearance from a blackish-brown to a light yellowishbrown. lVhen added to alfalfa, corn, oats, and other materials used in'the manufacture of mixed animal foods, these variations in color and tint are very objectionablebecause preventing the manufacture of a'product of uniform color, and for the further reason that in almost all cases the color of the crude molasses is such as will result in discoloring or changing the natural-appearance of the material to which itis added. I have ob-.

served that when molasses of any characteristic shade of color is spread out in an extremely thin sheet or film,the form in which it appears when applied to such materials as mentioned,-the predominating color is a yellowi h-brown of very great transparency, but that notwithstanding, different molasses will produce widely varying effects uponthe same material so coated by them. In the particular case of mixing molasses with alfalfa yellowish-brown tints of the former are extremely objectionable, since they tend to destroy the beautiful green appearance of the alfalfa' Such. molasses mixed with alfalfa produces a brownishyellow film covering the greenish color of alfalfa, and imparting a dirty brownishwith alfalfa.

I Specification of Letters Patent. PatentedFeb. 22 1916 Application filed May 15, 1915. Serial No. 28,264. i I

green color to the product. Such coloris undesirable as giving the product the appearance of artificial coloring, and rendermg 1t more dniicult to sell the product in competition with stock foods of a similar character retaining the naturalcolor of the cereal or grass used. In addition, stock do not so readily take to food having such an unusual color.

In the past various attempts have been made to either dye thealfalfa to a sufficient extent to compensate for this loss of color, or else to mix with the molasses a suitable dye for the purpose of changing the color of the molasses toa desired color, usually green. As has been stated before, the molasses itself contains considerable coloring matterof the nature and tints described, and it is my intention, by the addition of'suitable and relatively minute quantities of corrective tints to impart to the molasses an ultimate color corresponding approximately to the color of the substance with which it is to be mixed,

and upon which it will appear in a manner,

resembling a varnish. For example, I have discoveredthat the addition of smallquam tities of blue will combine with the yellow of the molasses and change the transparent film from a yellowish into a greenish tint, and such change in color" renders the molasses eminently suitable for use in mixing on the other hand, the addition ofa smallcquantity of yellow coloring matter to molasses will have .a tendency to counteract the brownishftints so that the film'will have a. more pronouncedly yellow color, and make the molasses suitable for addition tov corn, oats, and the like. It will thus be seen, and I wish it to be clearly understood, thatit is not my purpose to dye the molasses, but to add the dye or color only as a corrective medium in connection with coloring matter possessed by the molasses itself.

As a specific example, in the case of molasses to be put in suitable condition for use with alfalfa, the ultimate product to consist of a mixture of, say 1200 pounds of alfalfa and 800 pounds of molasses, an addition to the latter of one-half an ounce of ultra-marine blue, or of a blue anilin dye in even smaller quantity, will be suflicient to neutralize the yellow factor, and when mixed with the alfalfa the color of the molasses will harmonize with the natural green color of the alfalfa and therefore not produce an appreciable alteration in its color. As is furthermore obvious, if it is desired to impart a light green tint to a mass of dark brown, or even of a considerably yellowislrbrown tendency, when in a thin film, itwould be impossibleto do this by any method of dyeing, since it is well-known that it is impossible to superimpose a lighter upon a darker colored. tint and obtain the color of the lighter dye. By utilizing,however, my corrective methodthe yellow factor of the thin film may be utilized to mod.- ify a darker green into a lighter green, and thereby render possible the utilization of a darker color of the same natureas is the desired end color, as such darker color will be modified by the inherent coloring matter of the molasses. Thus, in the case of concentrated chlorophyl, a tinting material very desirable owing to the fact that it is found in the alfalfa itself, the intense dark green of the chlorophyl is modified by the inherent yellow nature of the molasses.

The added color in all cases never exceeds in amount the maximum which canbe corrected-by a color factor of the molasses; and i is never used in such quantity as to drown out the yellow and impart the characteristic color of the added coloring matter; This is highly important from the standpoint of economy alone, as it enables me to produce the desired color in the finished product at such a small cost as scarcely to constitute it afactor in estimating the price of the prod-- uct, whereas if the total body of molasses, or the total mass of alfalfa were dyed, the cost would be very considerable. The use of my corrective method furthermore en-- ables me to produce the desired color. of stock food without imparting an artificiallycolored appearance to the same, and with the employment of such a small amount, of colormg'matterthat it cannot be considered objectionable as adding an adulterantor.

harmful material to the food.

I claim;

1. The method of coloring molasses which! consis'ts'in adding to the molasses a coloring substance capableof modifying a color factorof the molasses.

y 2. The method ofcoloring molasses which consists in adding to-the molasses a coloring;

substance capable of modifying and of having its color modified by a colorfactor of the molasses.

3; The method of coloring molasses-which. consists in adding .to the molasses a coloring;

mum of such color which may be modified by the yellow color factor of the 2' molasses.

5. The method of coloringmolasses which consists in addingthereto a coloring substance capable of changing 5 the yellowish tint observablein a film of molasses into: a

greenish tint. I

6: The method of coloring molasses which of having its-color changed by a color-factor of the molasses.

7. As a new article of manufacture, mo,-

lasses having combined therewith a coloring substance capable of modifying and of havi consists in adding thereto a coloringsubstance in quantity capable of changing and ing its color modified by the yellow color factor of the molasses.

8. As a new articleofrmanufacture, mo. lasses characterlzed by a greenish? tinge in;

film form.

9. As a new articleof manufacture, mo

lasses having combined therewith a tinting material corrective of one of its color factors.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST E. l/VERN'ER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,'-by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

